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It is the sixth boat to arrive since the federal government was forced to abandon its Malaysian people-swap deal last month.

Mr O’Connor confirmed the passenger details of the WA vessel, saying the boat was intercepted by HMAS Maitland in waters north of Christmas Island.

“The passengers will be transferred to Christmas Island, where they will undergo initial security, health and identity checks and their reasons for travel will be established," he said.

Earlier, the Coalition said it would support the federal government this week in passing urgent legislation that would tighten the definition of a ­people smuggler.

The legislation is expected to be introduced this week ahead of a Victorian Supreme Court hearing as soon as tomorrow. The bill is expected to help the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in its people-smuggling trials and to head off the possibility of accused people smugglers getting off charges by a misreading of the law. Although the Coalition and the government thought there was a low risk of the Victorian Supreme Court deciding the legal argument in the people smugglers’ favour, a Coalition spokesman said the impact would be “calamitous".

The Commonwealth DPP said its caseload had doubled with the increase in people-smuggling trials. The department brought forward up to $900,000 a month from its budget to cope with the 83 trials to start this financial year.

The first person to be extradited from Indonesia to Australia to face people-smuggling charges had his application to appeal against his conviction dismissed yesterday.